19. Generational Diversity in the Workplace
Diversity on the Web
Because of the issues facing women in organizations today, many women are
choosing to start their own businesses. In 1972, women owned less than five percent
of all U.S. businesses. Today, there are 10.1 million female-owned businesses that
employ 13 million people and generate $1.9 trillion dollars in sales. Visit the website
of the Center for Women & Enterprise. Why was this organization founded and what
do they do that relates to some of the issues explained in this article?
www.cweonline.org
Go to http://www.mckinsey.com/features/women_matter and watch the video about
female executives. Play all four segments. What additional insights on the gender gap
do these interviews reveal? How may these factors and the ones discussed in this
article affect your career if you are female OR if you are male?
Go to mckinsey&co.com and search for Women Matter Making the Breakthrough
(2012). This report details the status of women in many countries. Compare and
contrast the facts found in this report with the situation for U.S. women. What
common issues do they all face? What is different internationally from women’s
career opportunities within the U.S.?
21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style
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WHEN WOMEN DO LEAD: GENDER BIAS 2013 STYLE
Carol P. Harvey
Suffolk University
Assumption College, Professor Emerita
Goals
• To illustrate that gender discrimination still occurs in the workplace
• To provide a true and recent example of how poorly some organizations manage
diversity issues
• To explore the complexities that exist for women in leadership positions
Case Synopsis
Note: Because the author wanted to use this case as an example for the case writing
assignment, the real names and institutions were not used in the text but are revealed in
the summary below.
The actual case involves Dr. Carol Warfield, Chief of Anesthesiology at Beth Israel
Deaconess Hospital in Boston, who in 2013 was awarded a $7 million settlement against
the hospital, the CEO, the chief of surgery, and the physicians group for sexist treatment.
Settled out of court a week before the trial was scheduled to start, this was the largest
gender discrimination award in Massachusetts history.
Dr. Warfield worked at the hospital since 1980, is a full professor at the Harvard Medical
School, and the author of two books including a best-selling text on anesthesiology. Soon
after she became chief of anesthesia in 2002, she became the subject of harassment and
abuse by Dr. Josef Fischer, the chief of surgery. Dr. Fischer had a long history of treating
female physicians and nurses poorly, as is detailed in the case.
Dr. Warfield went to the then CEO, Paul Levy, who did not take her seriously and
accused her of “playing the victim,” creating a “culture of whining,” and being too
“aggressive.” He suggested that she try to get along better with Dr. Fischer and excused
his behavior on the basis that “Joe can’t help himself.” The testimony prepared for the
trial documented many additional cases of gender harassment by Dr. Fischer including
his getting a female doctor fired (who was later reinstated when Harvard intervened on
her behalf), removing a woman from a position of authority and replacing her with a less
qualified man, etc. All of these behaviors were tolerated by the institution.
21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style
III – 23
In 2008, after Dr. Warfield filed her lawsuit, Levy finally asked Fischer to resign.
However, the reason given was not related to Warfield’s case. It was because Fischer had
paid his wife $12,000 in hospital funds to organize events, find housing for new hires,
and orient them to the Boston area. Dr. Fischer was allowed to keep an office at the
hospital as well as his endowed chair at Harvard.
Pedagogy
This case will surprise some younger students who are unaware that gender
discrimination is still a factor, especially for women at higher levels of leadership or in
fields dominated by men. Try to help them make connections to the notion of privilege
and the horizontal and vertical segregation concepts covered in the article “Exploring the
Gender Gap: What are the Issues?” (Harvey). What should be stressed here is that Dr.
Warfield did the right thing by taking her issues to the CEO. He failed by not taking her
complaints seriously and by ignoring Fischer’s history of gender discrimination.
Postscript
Levy left the hospital (before he was fired) officially because of his hiring a close
personal friend whom he later married.
Dr. Fischer has a library named in his honor at the hospital and still participates in weekly
Morbidity and Mortality meetings where patient complications and medical errors are
discussed.
Dr. Warfield, now 61, still sees patients on a part-time basis, conducts research at
Harvard, and is working to improve medical care in Ethiopia. As part of the settlement
with Dr. Warfield, the hospital admitted no guilt but did establish a lectureship that
focuses on females in medicine.
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. Why is it important for highly qualified women like Dr. Warfield to achieve
leadership positions in medicine?
21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style
III – 24
Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
out of clinical trials and research on heart disease in spite of the fact that 40% of
all heart related deaths occurred in women. It was Dr. Healy who insisted that
women be included in medical research.
2. Once in a position of leadership, especially in a field dominated by males, should
women overlook sexist behaviors or should they complain to higher
management? Why or why not?
3. List the three options that Dr. Warfield could consider at this point. What are
the pros and cons of each option from her perspective?
1. She could find another position and resign.
Pros Cons
She would get a fresh start. This might require relocating
her family.
2. She could pursue legal action against the hospital.
Pros Cons
If she wins, she might get a financial If she loses, she will probably
Other females at the hospital might This could be costly and drag
the future. to media scrutiny.
21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style
III – 25
3. She could “suck it up” and try to ignore Dr. Fischer’s behavior.
She will avoid the risk of alienating upper This sets a poor example for other
management who will not appreciate women who look to her as a leader
a lawsuit and who may retaliate by and role model.
denial of other privileges.
4. What does this case suggest about how women can help themselves?
5. Evaluate the way that the CEO handled Dr. Warfield’s complaints.
and negative publicity.
Bibliography for the Case
Note: Because the identities of the participants were concealed to provide an example for
Brodsky, L. (2013). The five miracles of Dr. Carol Warfield’s $7 million settlement in
her gender bias case. February 28, retrieved from www.womenmdresources.com.
21. When Women Do Lead: Gender Bias 2013 Style
III – 26
Kowalczyk, L. (2013). Doctor gets $7 million in gender bias suit. The Boston Globe,
February 7, 1 & A12.
Vennochi, J. (2013). A strong message. The Boston Globe, February 14, A17.
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
THE PARADOX OF MALE PRIVILEGE:
TOWARD A GENDER DEMOCRACY & DEMOCRATIC MANHOOD
Steven D. Farough
Assumption College
Goals
• To explain why men both benefit and lose by investing in dominant masculinity
• To explain why men continue to maintain advantages in a society that is
supposed to be open to both men and women equally
• To think about how men could change to better promote gender equality both in
work and home life and still find a viable sense of manhood to construct a sense
of masculinity
Key Points
I. Introduction
• How can men still be so financially successful in an era when women now
outnumber men in terms of college degrees?
• How can men benefit financially but wind up living shorter life spans?
• There is a paradox of male privilege: Men continue to do well despite being in an
era where the success of women is notable. However, the benefits men receive
ultimately hurt them.
• If we can understand the paradox, then we can move to a different male identity
and gender politics around work and family life.
• The Great Recession has some arguing that the tide is finally moving in favor of
women (dubbed a “he–cession”).
• Both men and women are capable of risk taking and over confidence, so why are
these behaviors so strongly associated with masculinity?
• The answer lies in how gender impacts our occupation structure as a form of
power (not just behavior or identity).
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
II. Dominant Masculinity
• Every culture has a variety of expectations about the ways men behave, but
only some of these behaviors offer access to power and resources.
and (3) the structure of the American family.
III. Privileges of Dominant Masculinity
• Men earn more than women in almost every occupation and educational level.
• Men dominate in key positions of power such as CEOs, surgeons, and
politicians.
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
IV. Negative Consequences of Dominant Masculinity
• There are many negative aspects to dominant masculinity: men have shorter
life spans, they are more likely to die of disease, suffer from higher rates of
depression and suicide, and often have more shallow relationships with
recalibrates masculinity so that it is on a more democratic trajectory with
women.
• The alternative is what could be called democratic manhood: a type of
masculinity that is emotionally connected with others and draws from the belief
in equality.
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. How do the key characteristics of dominant masculinity privilege men? How do
these characteristics hurt men?
2. What other characteristics could be included in dominant masculinity?
3. If dominant masculinity is defined through such characteristics as physical
strength, competition, control, and emotional distance, what does this say about
femininity?
4. How does democratic manhood encourage men and women to work together
against sexism?
5. How viable is democratic manhood as a starting point in helping men and
women work together to overcome sexism?
6. If the structure of the traditional family contributes to gender inequality, what
can American businesses do so that women have the same chances for upward
mobility as men?
7. How could democratic manhood be implemented in American businesses?
8. What can be done to reduce the glass ceiling in American business?
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
Reference
Rampell, Catherine 2013. “Lean In, Dad: How Shared Diaper Duty Could Stimulate the
Economy.” The New York Times. April 2, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/magazine/how-shared-diaper-duty-could-
stimulate-the-economy.html?_r=1&
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
Points of Law
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) ensures anyone who works
for private employers with 50 or more employees and any employee of a federal,
state, or local agency be allotted 12 workweeks of unpaid leave for one or more of
the following reasons:
• birth of a newborn child of the employee
• adoption of a child or foster care work by the employee
• care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition
• medical leave for a serious health condition
• situations arising out of the employee’s spouse, child or parent who is on
active military duty or in the National Guard or Reserves
To qualify for the FMLA, an employee must have worked for the employer 12
months and work 1,250 hours per year. Upon completion of the 12 weeks of leave,
an employee is also entitled to the same job or a job that is equivalent in pay,
benefits, and other conditions of employment.
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.pdf
Writing Assignment Not in Text
A research study conducted by the National Coalition to Protect Family Leave
revealed that females are more than twice as likely (21%) to take a FMLA leave
than male employees (10%). While some would say this is to be expected because
women are still the primary care givers of children and the elderly, this article
suggests additional factors may be operating within society and the workplace that
discourage men from applying for these leaves.
1. How might dominant masculinity also be a factor in fewer men than women
applying for FMLA leaves?
22. The Paradox of Male Privilege
Diversity on the Web
From 1973 to today, a variety of men’s movements occurred, some attempting
to reaffirm traditional gender roles, others to overcome male privilege and sexism.
Using the links below, research the principles or worldview of Robert Bly’s Mythopoetic
Men’s Movement, the Promise Keepers, and the National Organization for Men Against
sexism.
Write a two to three page paper:
a) highlighting the core values of each group,
b) explaining why these groups were founded in the historical context of their time, and
c) explaining which group or groups’ beliefs would support democratic manhood.
Starting sources:
http://boston.com/news/globe/ideas/aricles/2005/06/19/daddy_what_did_you_do_
in_the_mensmove.html (Zakrewski, P. (2005, June 19) The Boston Globe
http://www.menstuff.org/pov/povs/mensmove.html
http://stason.org (Click “search” on left column, type in “28.17”)
Robert Bly’s Mythopoetic Men’s Movement
http://www.xyonline.net/conent/wildmen
The Promise Keepers
http://www.promisekeepers.org/about
http://www.now.org/issues/right/pk.html
23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues
SORTING THROUGH LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER
ISSUES IN THE AMERICAN WORKPLACE
Gerald Hunt
Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Goals
• To understand the legal, social, and political situations for lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) persons
• To explore the nature of opposition to LGBT equality in general, and in the
workplace in particular
• To illustrate the initiatives employers take to accommodate LGBT minorities
Outline
I. Introduction
II. LGBT: Who are they and what do they want?
III. Social, Legal, and Economic Developments
A. Social Forces
B. Legal Change
C. Economic Forces
IV. Organizational Response
V. Corporate Equality Index
VI. Gender Identity and Transgender Issues
VII. Backlash and Mixed Messages: The Sting of Discrimination Continues
VIII. Developments in Other Parts of the World
IX. Conclusions
23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues
III – 36
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. What is meant by the terms “gender identity” and “gender expression?”
2. Provide an example of some type of event you have witnessed in your life that
illustrates the contradictions and mixed messages surrounding LGBT people in
America.
3. Develop five key criteria that could be used for evaluating how much an
organization is “gay–friendly” versus “anti–gay.”
23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues
Writing Assignment
Discuss (a) the challenges faced by an organization in creating an inclusive
environment for LGBT people, and (b) how they differ from the challenges it might
face in creating an inclusive environment for other diversity categories such as race
and disability.
Discussion of Writing Assignment
First, what are the challenges? They include such things as:
• Opposition from stakeholders
• Boycotts by consumers who disagree
• Opposition from other workers
• Opposition by external groups such as religious leaders
• Potentially negative press (for example, on right-wing talk shows)
• Lack of a legal apparatus to reinforce equal rights for LGBT
• Some measures cannot be introduced in the same way. For example, a policy that
provides partner benefits for married couples by definition excludes same-sex
couples in jurisdictions where marriage is not possible.
Second, how do they differ from other diversity categories such as race or disability?
23. Sorting Through Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues
Diversity on the Web
1. Go to the following website: “GLOBE – Ford Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual
Employees” at http://fordglobe.org/index.html
2. Read the sections called Our Mission and Our History.
3. What might account for Ford’s progressive position on LGBT issues?
4. Do you think all American organizations should be as LGBT positive as Ford?
Why/Why not?
Points of Law
Challenges to the constitutionality of the “Defense of Marriage Acts” (DOMA) have
been initiated in a number of states. In December 2012, the Supreme Court agreed to
hear a challenge from Edie Windsor, a lesbian who had been in a long-term
relationship with another woman and had been married in Canada. When her partner
died in 2007, the federal government taxed the inheritance even though a spouse who
dies can leave her assets and incur no estate taxes, Clearly she had been taxed
because she was married to a same-sex partner.
(Source: http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/windsor-v-united-states-thea-doma
On July 26, 2013, by a vote of 5 to 4, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Defense
of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. Source: Reilly, R. & Siddiqui, S. (2013, July
26. Supreme Court DOMA decision rules federal same-sex marriage ban
unconstitutional. Retrieved from www.huffingtonpost.com. )
24. Is This Sexual Harassment?
III – 39
IS THIS SEXUAL HARRASSMENT?
Carol P. Harvey
Assumption College, Professor Emerita
Suffolk University
Goals
• To provide examples of situations that are and are not considered
sexual harassment under United States law
• To demonstrate that organizations and managers have a legal liability to prevent,
correct, and manage harassment issues
• To illustrate how subjective one’s perceptions of harassment may be
Points of Law
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Guidelines define sexual
harassment as…Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and
other physical and verbal contact of a sexual nature when it affects the terms of
employment under one or more of the following conditions: such an activity is a
condition for employment: such an activity is a condition of employment
consequences such as promotion, dismissal or salary increases; such an activity
creates a hostile working environment.
Notes: In 2011, there were 11,364 sexual harassment cases reported to the United States
Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (statisticsbrain.com). While many people
still consider harassment as a female issue, the number of claims from men has tripled in
recent years with 11% of these men filing claims against females. However, these
numbers represent only the tip of the iceberg because many situations of sexual
harassment are settled privately. A Harris poll on this subject revealed that 62% of those
harassed did not do anything about the incident(s) (riseman-law.com).
24. Is This Sexual Harassment?
III – 40
Incidents and Answers
1. Gary & Lois – Technically, this is not yet sexual harassment but it could become so,
2. Bob – This is a case where bullying is escalating into sexual harassment. Because
no action was taken. This is all the more reason that Julie needs to provide her
employer with documentation. To support Julie, the other woman could offer to
go with Julie when she lodges the complaint.
manager’s behavior that is clearly making workers uncomfortable. Since there are
multiple victims here, they need to find a way to do this as a group. There is also the
possibility that this manager is from a more tactile culture where men hugging other
men is appropriate behavior. In any case, the manager’s behavior needs to be
addressed.
Tom are adult co-workers meeting each other socially outside of the workplace.